1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a board-to-board connector assembly and, more particularly to a matrix board-to-board connector assembly.
2. The Related Art
A board-to-board connector assembly includes a plug connector and a receptacle connector respectively soldered on a circuit board. The plug connector and the receptacle connector are connected mechanically and electrically with each other through the engagement between the contacts of the two connectors. With the trend of miniaturization of electronic devices, the density between the contacts of the connectors increases greatly, therefore the matrix board-to-board connector arises.
An electrical connector assembly for interconnecting a pair of circuit boards in parallel spaced-apart planes comprising first and second connectors is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,876,219 issued on Mar. 2, 1999. The first connector includes a dielectric first housing having a mating face and an array of first contacts exposed along the mating face. Each first contact has a base portion and tow contact posts extended from the corresponding base potion. The first housing has a shroud that defines a boundary around the array of first contacts. The shroud has an edge at a height above the mating face and the first contacts are recessed below the edge. The second connector includes a dielectric second housing having a mating face and an array of second contacts exposed along the mating face for mating with the first contacts. The second contacts are in tabulate shape. The second housing is configured for complementary reception within the boundary of the shroud, wherein the shroud serves to align the first and second housings for mating before engagement of the first and second contacts can occur. In assembly of the first connector and the second connector, the first contacts are embraced in the shroud. The tabulate second contacts are inserted and positioned between the two contact posts of the first contacts, therefore the first connector and the second connector is electrically connected.
However, in assembly, as the second contacts are in tabulate shape, it is easy for the contact posts of the first contacts to be damaged by the second contacts duo to failing to align the first contacts and the second contacts, especially when the density of the two kinds of contacts is too high, the first contacts are much prone to be destroyed.
Hence, an improved board-to-board connector is required to overcome the aforementioned disadvantage of the prior art.